Counterpart Workshop

written Saturday, 5 May 2007

Thursday and Friday this week we had a "counterpart workshop" where the people we will be working with in our villages came to Thies to learn about Peace Corps and how to work with us volunteers.

I have two counterparts, an "Infirmier Chef de Poste" (nurse head of the regional health post in the nearest town), and a village "relais", who is a volunteer with some basic health training who does health education for his village.

Of course it was very exciting (and also a little nerve-wracking) to meet people from my village. I wore my Senegalese "complets" both days to try to make a good impression, and I was lucky that both of them speak French, so we were able to communicate without too much trouble.

I got a few questions answered about my village (yes, there is cell phone coverage, but it's Tigo, the Senegalese company, instead of Orange, the French company, and apparently reception is pretty sporadic. They said Orange is supposed to be providing service "soon", though, whatever "soon" means to a Senegalese), but most of our time was taken up with official workshop sessions, so we didn't get to talk too much. I am pretty content to find out what it's like when I get there though, rather than having someone tell me all about it ahead of time. It will be more exciting this way.

But it's reassuring at least to know that there will be one person I know in the village, if only a little bit, as the Peace Corps car is driving away and leaving me there all alone.

Just over a week to go til I move to the village! (assuming I pass my language test on Tuesday).